Steam bath cabinet



Oct. 17, 1950 A. HJELM STEAM BATH CABINET 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 5, 1945 Oct. 17, 1950 A. HJELM STEAM BATH CABINET 2 Sheets-Shget 2 Filed Nov. 5, 1945 I il 7 6d 5962711 Patented Oct. 17, 1950 UNITED STATES OFFICE 4 Claims.

The present invention relates to portable steam bath cabinets of a type adapted to enclose the body of a person while taking a steam bath and the invention has for its primary object to provide a collapsible cabinet of this character including walls of flexible material and rigid means at the top of the cabinet adapted for supporting in position by the head of a person to maintain the walls in suspended relation and out of contact with the person occupying the cabinet.

An important object of the present invention is to provide means for detachably connecting the rigid supporting member at the top of-the cabinet so that the cabinet may be collapsed and stored in a compact form, when not in use.

A further important object of the invention is to provide means for attaching the cabinet to the neck and head of a person occupying the same so that the hands of the person will be free for massaging parts of the body.

A still further object is to provide a device of this character of simple and practical construction, which is easy to assemble and attach in position for enclosing the body of a person, and which at the same time is relatively inexpensive to manufacture and otherwise well adapted for the purposes for which the same is intended.

Other objects and advantages reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout and in which Figure 1 is a view in elevation showing the device and in position for use.

Figure 2 is a top plan view.

Figure 3 is a vertical sectional view.

Figure 4 is an enlarged fragmentary top plan view showing the drawstring construction for securing the supporting ring to the top of the cabinet and for closing the top of the cabinet around the neck of a person.

Figure 5 is a fragmentary sectional view of the upper portion of the cabinet and Figure 6 is a plan view of the supporting ring.

Referring now to the drawings in detail wherein for the purpose of illustration I have disclosed a preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 5 designates the substantially cylindrical wall of the cabinet formed of suitable cloth or other flexible material and the numeral 6 designates the top of the cabinet likewise constructed of cloth or other suitable flexible material, the wall 5 and top 6 being constructed separately and secured to each other by the stitching 1.

The center of the top 6 is formed with an opening 8 having its edges formed with the stitched fold 9 within which a drawstring I0 is inserted, the drawstring being used in the usual manner for drawing the edges of the opening 8 about the neck ll of a person enclosed within the cabinet.

Positioned between the folded edges of the wall 5 and the top 6 is one edge of a flexible annular member l2 likewise secured by the stitching 1, the member l2 extending over a rigid ring [3 of a diameter corresponding substantially to the diameter of the cabinet and the annular member 52 extends inwardly in overlying relation with respect to the top 6 and is likewise provided at its inner edge with a stitched fold I4 having a drawstring l5 therein and adapted to constrict the inner edges of the annular member l2 in a manner to support the cabinet on the ring l3.

A flexible strap I6 has its ends attached to diametrically opposite sides of the top of the wall 5 and extends transversely across the top 6 and across the head I! of the person occupying the cabinet whereby to support the cabinet in a position as indicated in Figure 3 of the drawings.

The person may occupy the cabinet in a seated position upon a stool it under which is placed a heater 59 for heating water or other liquid in a vessel 20 to thus produce the desired steam for subjecting the person to a steam bath.

When the device is not in use the drawstring ifiis released whereby the ring I3 may be removed from the annular member l2 and the walls 5 and top 8 folded into a compact form for convenient storage purposes.

When the cabinet is in use and the ring member is secured in position at the upper edges of the cabinet by the annular member 12 the top 5 of the cabinet will be held horizontally and the opening 8 closed about the neck of the person by the drawstring Ill. ihe entire device is supported above the shoulders of the person by the strap l6 extending across the top of the head of the person and the walls 5 of the cabinet will be supported in a perpendicular position spaced from the'body of the person so that the steam may circulate around all parts of the body It is believed that the details of construction, manner of operation and advantages of the device will be readily understood from the foregoing without further detailed explanation.

While the foregoing specification sets forth the invention in specific terms, it is to be understood that numerous changes in the shape, size and materials may be resorted to without cabinet in a perpendicular position.

2. A portable steam cabinet including an annular flexible Wall, a top closing the upper portion of the cabinet and provided with a neck receiving opening, means detachably carried at the top of the cabinet for maintaining the top against collapsing movement, and a strap attached to the cabinet externally thereof and adapted for extending across the top of the head of a person occupying the cabinet to support the wall in a perpendicular position and the top of the cabinet above and out of engagement with the shoulders.

3. A steam bath cabinet including a continuous flexible wall, a flexible top having an opening, means for constricting the opening about the neck of a person occupying the cabinet, a rigid supporting member detachably mounted in the cabinet top, and means secured to the flexible wall and extending from opposite sides of the supporting member and adapted for resting on top of the head of the person occupying the cabinet for suspending the cabinet solely therefrom.

4. A steam bath cabinet including a continuous flexible Wall, a flexible top having an opening, means for constricting the opening about the neck of a person occupying the cabinet, a rigid annular member, a flexible annular member attached at one edge to the upper portion of the cabinet and extending over the rigid annular member in overlying relation with respect to the top, means for constricting the flexible annular member to detachably retain the rigid member therein, and a strap attached to the cabinet and extending across the top thereof above the head of the person occupying the cabinet and resting thereon to provide the sole means for supporting the cabinet in position on the person.

ALFRED HJELl/l.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 157,846 Leslie Dec. 15, 1874 195,448 Hirle Sept. 25, 1877 582,639 Gray May 18, 1897 646,572 Floyd Apr. 3, 1900 646,580 Lennon et a1. Apr. 3, 1900 758,207 Hamilton Apr. 26, 1964 

